PRESENTATION
ON
RF MIXERS
By:
Zeeshan Akhtar
[Link] 1st year
Communication & Information
14lecm-018
Introduction
Mixers are used for frequency conversion
and is critical components in modern radio
frequency (RF) systems.
A mixer converts RF power at one
frequency into power at another frequency
to make signal processing easier and also
inexpensive.
A fundamental reason for frequency
conversion is to allow amplification of the
received signal at a frequency other than
the RF, or the audio frequency.
Mixer Definitions
Mixers are non-linear devices used in systems to
translate one frequency to another. All mixer types
work on the principle that a large Local Oscillator (LO)
will cause switching/modulating the incoming Radio
Frequency (RF) to the Intermediate Frequency (IF)
The multiplication process begins by taking two
signals:
a = A Sin(w1t + 1) and
b= B Sin(w2t + 2)
Mixer Equations
The resulting multiplied signal will
be:
a.b = AB Sin(w1t + 1) Sin(w2t
+ 2)
This can be multiplied out thus:
SinA SinB =
-1/2 [cos(A+B) cos(A-B) ]
Where
High performance RF mixers use nonlinear
characteristics to generate the multiplication.
Thus, they also generate lots of undesired output
frequencies.
Three techniques have proven to be effective in
the implementation of mixers with
high dynamic range:
[Link] a device that has a known and controlled
nonlinearity.
2. Switch the RF signal path on and off at the LO
frequency.
3. Sample the RF signal with a sample-hold function
Mixer Performance Specifications
Image rejection
Conversion gain: voltage or power
Port-to-port isolation
Large signal performance:
gain compression
intermodulation distortion : third-order
intercept (TOI)
Small signal performance: noise figure
Operating range: Spurious-free dynamic range
Maximize mixer
performance by:
1. Maximize linearity in the signal path
2. Idealize switching: high slew rates
3. Minimize noise contributions
Passive or Active Mixers?
Passive nonlinear devices or switches
conversion loss, not gain
high tolerance to IMD
external transformers needed
Active mixers
can provide conversion gain
better for IC implementation
more difficulty in achieving good IMD
performance
Mixer operating mechanisms
Nonlinear
transfer function
use device nonlinearities creatively!
useful at mm-wave frequencies
Switching or sampling
a time-varying process
preferred; fewer spurs
Non-Linear Mixer Operation
Nonlinear mixer
Mixer Output
We can see that there are a lot of spurious
outputs generated.
Ideally, we would like to see outputs only at
10 MHz and 210 MHz.
So, we prefer the switching type mixer when
the RF and LO frequencies are low enough
that we can make decent switches.
Switching or Sampling mixers
This simple switch is operated by the LO. If the
LO is a square wave with 50% duty cycle,
it is easily represented by its Fourier Series.
The symmetry causes the even-order harmonics
to drop out of the LO spectrum.
When multiplied by a single frequency cosine
at W(rf) the desired sum and difference outputs
will be obtained as shown in the next slide.
Mixer Output
Ideal Single-balanced mixer
LO Switching Function T(t)
Output spectrum: SB mixer
The output spectrum of the single-balanced
switching mixer is much less cluttered than the
nonlinear mixer spectrum.
Ideal Double Balanced Mixer
An ideal double balanced mixer consists of a switch
driven
by the local oscillator that reverses the polarity of the
RF input at the LO frequency and a differential
transconductance amplifier stage.
The polarity reversing switch and differential IF
cancels any output at the RF input frequency since
the DC term cancels
as was the case for the single balanced design.
To get the highest performance from the mixer we
must make the RF to IF path as linear as possible
and minimize the
switching time of the LO switch.
Double-balanced mixer
Output Spectrum: DB mixer
The polarity switching action can be clearly seen in the
output voltage. There is no LO or RF feedthrough in this ideal
DB mixer, even with a DC current in the signal path.
Mixer circuit examples
Now lets look at some examples
Diode DB quad :
familiar and widely used
wide bandwidth, limited by baluns
FET DB quad:
not as well known, but good performance
Gilbert multiplier :
Very widely used active mixer
Diode DB quad mixer
The diode double-balanced quad mixer is a very
popular design and available in a wide variety of
frequency bandwidths and distortion specs.
The diodes act as a polarity reversing switch as
seen in the bottom of the figure.
When the top of the LO transformer is positive,
the blue path is conductive and will ground the
top of the RF transformer.
When the top is negative, the red path is
conducting and the RF polarity reverses.
The IMD performance is very poor with small LO
power.
DB Switching FET mixer
The channel resistance of a large FET when in
its triode region (below saturation) can be quite
low and is not as current dependent as the
diode.
Therefore, switching configurations using FETs
can be more linear in the RF to IF path than
diode switching mixers.
The conversion loss will be similar to the diode
mixer.
Large LO drive voltage is needed (1 to 5 volts)
Double-balanced Gilbert mixer
This double-balanced active mixer was first
described in the 60s. Barrie Gilbert was
awarded the patent.
Some Advantages
Easily integrated with other circuits
Better isolation than the DB diode or FET
mixers
Requires less LO power than the passive mixers
Less fussy about IF termination impedance
than the passive mixers due to the better
isolation
Its main liability is large signal handling
Conclusion
Understand operating principles of the mixer
What makes a good mixer?
Choices: nonlinear/switching mode;
single/double balance; active/passive
Specify performance: Gain, NF, isolation etc.
Mixer examples - numerous other possibilities
REFERENCES
[Link]
[Link]
B. Gilbert "A precise four quadrant multiplier with
subnanosecond response", IEEE J. Solid-State Circuits,
vol. SC-3, no. 12, pp.365 -373 1968
M. D. Jamal and A. F. Tor CMOS RF Modeling,
Characterization and Applications, 2002 :World Sci.
Thanku For Listening
Any Qtns ?
